Zack dominates for 12th win, J.D. goes deep

July 25th, 2017

PHOENIX -- D-backs right-hander Zack Greinke did a little bit of everything Monday night as he tossed eight quality innings and drove in a run, and J.D. Martinez introduced himself to Arizona with a massive home run in a 10-2 victory over the Braves at Chase Field.
The D-backs jumped on Braves starter R.A. Dickey for three runs in the second inning, the first of which came on Greinke's line-drive double down the left-field line. Dickey (6-7) never seemed to be able to get command of his knuckleball, which he used to easily handle the D-backs 10 days ago, and turned in his shortest outing of the year at 3 2/3 innings.
"Pretty well-scripted day for us and it was all set up by Zack Greinke's outing," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "Just a really, really nice effort. I think he probably made one, two mistakes and one of them was hit for a two-run home run, but other than that he was in command from start to finish. He gave us a chance to get our feet on the ground offensively."

The lone damage against Greinke (12-4) came in the fifth when doubled with two outs and pinch-hitter hit his first home run since returning last week from a shoulder surgery that jeopardized his season. Rodriguez's no-doubt shot traveled a projected 428 feet and had a 109 mph exit velocity per Statcast™.
That was not nearly enough on a night when the D-backs offense got two doubles, a homer and four RBIs from A.J. Pollock, with the recently acquired Martinez adding three RBIs on a homer to center field as part of a 13-hit attack.
"What can you say?" Lovullo said of his offense. "It was just one guy after another."

Dickey completed at least five innings in his previous 19 starts this season and entered with a 1.80 ERA over his past six starts. But the 42-year-old veteran never got comfortable as he issued five walks and was charged with four wild pitches.
"I was fighting my body a lot tonight and I just didn't feel great," Dickey said. "Your body sometimes will choose the path of least resistance. Mechanically, my delivery wasn't as repeatable as it's been for the last month and a half."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
J.D(eep) Martinez: Making his second start since being acquired last week from the Tigers, Martinez -- who was hit by a pitch on the left hand in his D-backs debut -- collected his first hit in an Arizona uniform and it was a big one. Martinez smacked a three-run homer to straightaway center, projected to travel 427 feet by Statcast™, to help the D-backs put the game on ice in the sixth.
"I know that he wants to impress people," Lovullo said. "That's just the nature of the game and the nature of the moment. When you move teams you want to do everything you can to help out. Today was a great moment for him." More >>
Pollock delivers: Following Greinke's RBI double in the second, Dickey retired and it appeared the knuckleballer might wiggle out of the second-and-third jam without any further damage. Pollock, though, came up with a double to left to score both runners and the lead became 3-0 as the D-backs started to roll.

"It's been an area where we've had some concerns," Lovullo said of hitting with runners in scoring position. "I think it was one of those moments where A.J. said, 'I'm going to pick up my teammate right here and get the job done.' It extended the lead and was a big boost to the moment and the dugout was excited. I think the guys started playing after that knowing that hey here we go we've got the ball rolling."
QUOTABLE
"That was big for him and big for us. Hopefully, that gets him going." -- Freddie Freeman, on Rodriguez, who was 1-for-14 with eight strikeouts before hitting his no-doubt home run against Greinke

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Braves were charged with six wild pitches, the most recorded by the club in a game since Phil Niekro produced this total himself Aug. 4, 1979, during a loss to the Astros. The four charged to Dickey matched and for the most in a Major League game this year.
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW
Freeman was left with a 425-foot double when his long fourth-inning drive stuck a vertical yellow line painted on the railing of a terrace above the center-field wall. A boundary review upheld the umpire's ruling of a double. Had the ball hit just to the left of the yellow line, which sits directly above the outfield wall, or fallen into the seats below, it would have been a home run.

"I guess I needed to hit it a few feet shorter, so it would have gone under that overhang," Freeman said. "It is what it is."
WHAT'S NEXT
Braves:Mike Foltynewicz will take the mound when this three-game series resumes Tuesday at 9:40 p.m. ET. Foltynewicz has posted a 2.95 ERA over his past six starts.
D-backs: gets the start for the D-backs on Tuesday night (6:40 MST) against the Braves. It will be his second straight start against Atlanta. He missed his last scheduled start due to the birth of his first child, Zayden. Preview >>
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